Unyielding Spring Mountains - Chapter 45: Blazing Heat

The music never ceased. Wei Zhen continued playing the zither, quickly regaining her composure after her initial shock.

A zither had seven strings; one had snapped, leaving her with only six. She ran the score through her mind, promptly adjusting the tone and raising the pitch by half a degree.

The melody shifted from serene to lively, like a clear spring bubbling over mountain rocks, like a nightingale singing melodiously beneath the moon…

For a moment, silence enveloped the hall.

The people within listened quietly. For some reason, though it was the same instrument, the music carried an added richness that had not been there before.

Only when the final note faded did the gathered guests slowly regain their senses. Yet, the lingering echoes of the melody remained in their minds, refusing to dissipate.

Wei Zhen lifted her hands from the strings. Droplets of blood slid from the palm of her right hand, falling one after another onto the zither.

The snapped string had pierced directly into her fingertip. Wei Zhen had endured the searing pain, pulling the broken string from her flesh before resuming her playing as if nothing had happened. Now that the piece was finished, the pain spread from her fingertips to her very heart, a deep, bone-chilling ache.

She took the silk handkerchief handed to her by a palace attendant and slowly wiped her fingers, when a eunuch’s sigh came from above. “Your Majesty, this is the old zither of Princess Ji Qin.”

At these words, a low murmur of discussion arose throughout the hall.

“The princess’s old zithers are always well cared for by dedicated attendants. How could a string suddenly snap today?”

“A renowned instrument like this—once a string breaks and is replaced, it will never be the same as before.”

“Though Princess Ji Qin had many zithers, each one was exceedingly precious. If the zitherist possessed true skill, how could the string have snapped?”

Amid the whispers, some guests glanced surreptitiously toward the elevated throne. The flickering lamplight swayed, casting shadows over Jin King’s face beneath his crown, obscuring his expression. Yet the tight press of his lips revealed his deep displeasure.

The hushed conversations tapered off, and silence fell once more.

Wei Zhen forced herself to remain calm. Her blurred vision steadied. Rising from behind the low table, she stepped forward to the jade stairs.

“Your Majesty, zither strings are always pliant. When a novice plays, if they use improper force, they may snap a string. Today, the old zither of Princess Ji Qin was damaged in my hands, and I, too, am deeply unsettled. However, the broken string did not snap due to my actions.”

“Not by your hand?”

Wei Zhen was about to explain when a cold laugh rang out. “Does the Princess of Chu not find her own words absurd?”

An ordinary person, faced with such a scene, would surely be overcome with fear, their knees giving way. Yet Wei Zhen had seen her share of grand occasions. She suppressed the unease in her heart and slowly lifted her head.

“I do not say this to evade responsibility. Your Majesty loves the zither and understands it well. If a person were to snap a string while playing, the tuning pegs that anchor the strings on both sides of the instrument would inevitably loosen. Yet this zither remains unchanged. Moreover, the break in the string is clean and precise, resembling the mark left by a blade, as if it had been cut with scissors.”

Jin King said, “You mean to say that someone cut this zither string?”

His words stirred a storm in the hearts of those present.

Jin King leaned back in his seat, his voice heavy.

The bronze wine goblet in his hand tapped rhythmically against the armrest of the throne—once, twice—each tap striking Wei Zhen’s heart.

The old eunuch spoke. “This zither was watched over by palace attendants before it was presented to the princess. Who could have cut its string? Princess, your claim is absurd!”

Wei Zhen knew her explanation needed to be sound. Otherwise, in Jin King’s ears, it would seem nothing more than a desperate excuse.

She said, “At the point where the string snapped, there remains a trace of powdery, sticky residue. The string was previously broken and then reattached with an adhesive. If Your Majesty permits, I ask that someone take a closer look.”

The old eunuch hesitated before glancing at Jin King.

Out of the corner of her eye, Wei Zhen noticed Qi Yan standing near the screen behind the wine table. He mouthed two words to her: “Check the tuning pegs.”

Wei Zhen did not understand his intent but followed his instruction regardless. “Your Majesty, may I examine the zither once more?”

Jin King said, “You may.”

Wei Zhen knelt before the low table, pondering why Qi Yan had urged her to check the tuning pegs. In a sudden moment of clarity, her thoughts lit up—

Back at the princess’s residence, Qi Yan had once shown her Princess Ji Qin’s old zither and told her of the princess’s habits. He had mentioned that whenever she received a new instrument, she would always leave a mark on the tuning pegs.

Yet the tuning pegs of the zither before her were pristine, without a single engraving.

This was not Princess Ji Qin’s zither. The weight pressing down on Wei Zhen’s heart lifted significantly.

She looked up. “Your Majesty, I believe this zither is not the old instrument of Princess Ji Qin.”

The old eunuch asked, “Not the princess’s old instrument?”

“Correct. I am aware of some of the princess’s habits regarding her zithers. Whenever she acquired a treasured instrument, she would carve a number onto its tuning pegs to record how many she had collected. Yet this zither has no such markings.”

Jin King was silent for a long moment. “How did you come to know this?”

Wei Zhen smiled. “On my journey to Jin, I was assisted by Young General Qi Yan. I was fortunate to read the princess’s collected zither scores and even had the honor of playing one of her old zithers. He shared this knowledge with me.”

From behind the screen, a tall figure stepped forward. The young man walked to the jade stairs and knelt. “Yes. Ever since my mother learned to play, she carved a mark on every zither she owned. This instrument bears no such mark. It is certainly not my mother’s old zither.”

A eunuch descended from the high steps, approached the low table, and examined the zither closely before looking up. “Your Majesty, this zither is indeed not Princess Ji Qin’s old instrument. It is a treasured zither that was previously stored in the palace warehouse. It seems the attendant responsible for it made an error.”

The old eunuch turned to a nearby servant. “Summon the maidservant who handled the instrument.”

Before long, a maid entered, trembling as she knelt and confessed the truth.

Today, she had accidentally damaged the zither with scissors. With the banquet about to begin, she feared being punished by the king. In desperation, she hastily applied an adhesive to mend the string.

So, it had been the palace attendant’s mistake…

Wei Zhen’s intuition told her that the matter was not so simple. However, since Jin King had spoken, she temporarily set aside her doubts.

“This was a failing of the palace attendants. Princess, you may rise.”

Even though Jin King’s tone had softened, his voice remained hoarse and chilling.

Wei Zhen dared to ask, “Today’s incident was a coincidence. Though the string was broken by a palace attendant, my playing still disturbed Your Majesty’s ears. Might I have the honor of playing for Your Majesty again tomorrow?”

It was an audacious request, making even the old eunuch beside Jin King tense.

No princess sent for marriage had ever dared to take the initiative to play for Jin King in an attempt to grow closer to him.

Wei Zhen was taking a gamble—a gamble on Jin King’s response.

If he agreed, she could use this opportunity to gradually gain his trust.

Unlike the other princesses sent to Jin, she had not entered the royal academy. She was already a step behind them. She needed to take another path, a shortcut.

She anxiously awaited his answer, until at last, she heard a single, weighty word:

“You may.”

Relief flooded Wei Zhen. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

She finished her bow, straightened her back, and glanced at Qi Yan, who was kneeling beside her.

Above them, Jin King’s voice sounded once more. “Just now, Young General Qi referred to himself as ‘this humble servant’—whose servant are you? When has We ever had a subject like you?”

“I have heard that in recent days, you have been guarding the princess sent in marriage. Now, having traveled a thousand miles to Jin’s capital and not returning with the Chu envoys, do you intend to use this as an opportunity to remain in Jin? A dignified young general of Chu, reduced to becoming a mere guard in my Jin State—how laughable.”

Jin King’s resentment toward the Qi family was well known throughout the court. Yet no one had expected that he would go so far as to humiliate his own grandson so openly before everyone.

After all, this was the son of Princess Ji Qin.

The candlelight flickered, casting wavering shadows. The young man’s deep voice rang out steadily, “Your Majesty asks whose subject I am? I am neither a subject of Chu nor a subject of Jin.”

Hearing this, Jin King lifted his gaze, meeting the young man’s pitch-black eyes—bright, as if a fire burned quietly within them.

“I am a subject of the world.”

“Whoever rules this world, that is whom I shall serve.”

Jin King let out a cold chuckle. “What a fine declaration—a subject of the world.”

He rose from the throne, his gaze sweeping across the grand hall. Everyone present lowered their heads, except for one young man who still held his high.

A young man’s spine is not so easily broken. Even when countless scrutinizing and mocking gazes fell upon him, even when Jin King hurled words of humiliation at him, he remained neither arrogant nor impatient, looking at the king with the calmest demeanor.

Yet the fire in his eyes never faded. It was as if a resilient tendon ran through his very bones, supporting him to stand upright.

“Under heaven, all lands belong to the king; within the borders, all are his subjects. Your Majesty is a king who aspires to rule the world; then I am willing to be Your Majesty’s subject.”

His voice was steady and clear. As his words landed, he bowed his head and saluted Jin King.

When he straightened up again, he first slowly lifted his eyelids before finally raising his clear eyes to look at Jin King.

Those exceptionally beautiful eyes made Jin King dazed for a brief moment, as the face of an old acquaintance flashed before him.

The old Jin King said, “You have come to the Kingdom of Jin and bowed before me, speaking so humbly and calling yourself my subject. Then if I assign you to be a menial servant in the palace, to serve as a palace guard of Jin, will you accept it?”

The crowd sighed in pity. A general of an entire nation, coming to seek refuge in Jin, armed with skills and talents, should not have to be reduced to the rank of a mere palace guard. How could he possibly accept such a stark contrast in status?

The young man bowed once more. “I thank Your Majesty for your grace.”

The entire hall fell into stunned silence.

“Rise,” Jin King said with a mocking smile. “Chu people are always so good at bowing and scraping, able to bend and endure—today I have truly seen it with my own eyes.”

The young man stood up, his expression serene, as if those words had left not the slightest ripple in his heart.

Jin King ordered the servants to bring another zither and instructed Wei Zhen to play once more.

This time, Wei Zhen played a different melody. When the lingering notes ended, she slowly placed her hands on the veil covering her face.

Countless heated gazes followed her every movement.

As the veil was gradually lifted, the maiden’s features were revealed in the light. The surrounding candle flames illuminated her face, her skin crystal clear, her brows and eyes bright and pure, as though a flowing light shimmered beneath her skin. Coupled with those stunningly beautiful eyes, she was like the rosy dawn, breathtaking and mesmerizing, leaving everyone holding their breath.

Especially those royal princes of Jin who had once gone to escort her for the marriage alliance and had claimed she was “plain in appearance”—they could not help but widen their eyes in astonishment.

Jin King said, “I heard that when you first arrived in Jin, you suffered an injury to your face, one that seemed beyond recovery. But now, it appears to have healed?”

Wei Zhen smiled and said, “Yes. Thanks to the timely treatment of the court physicians.”

The maiden sat gracefully, the shadows of flowers outside the window falling across her cheek, making her complexion as fair as jade. The skin on the right side of her face—where was the cracked, parched texture it once bore?

Jin King gazed down at her for a moment before saying, “All the princesses are studying in the royal academy. You, too, shall go with them tomorrow.”

Wei Zhen bowed her head. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The banquet ended, and Wei Zhen stepped out of the grand hall. A cool breeze swept through her sleeves. She gazed into the distance along the long corridor, finally exhaling the breath she had been holding in her chest.

Though she could not yet discern whether Jin King was satisfied with her performance tonight, the fact that he had granted her permission to play music in the royal halls in the future suggested that his impression of her was not too poor. At the very least, she had met the standards expected of a marriage alliance princess.

But Qi Yan…

Wei Zhen asked, “How could you agree to become a menial servant in the Jin palace?”

Qi Yan shifted the zither to his other arm and said, “You need not worry about me. Given the outcome today, compared to Jin King rejecting my entry into the palace altogether, this is already the best possible result.”

The young man looked ahead. “In the grand hall, I said I am neither of Chu nor of Jin, and that is indeed the case. So whether Jin King or the people of Jin look down on me and mock me because I am an outsider, it stirs no waves in my heart.”

Qi Yan lowered his head. “This world is vast. I belong to the world itself.”

The night breeze swept across his bright eyes, his brows as tranquil as mountains and rivers, his spirit pure and refined. It seemed that no matter what he faced, he could always maintain a heart of equanimity.

Wei Zhen smiled faintly. It was good that he could be so open-minded.

Then, suddenly furrowing her brows, she said, “Thinking back on what happened today with the broken zither string, something still doesn’t sit right with me.”

Wei Zhen paused beside the flower bushes. “Was it really an accident that the palace servant cut the string? When the envoy first handed me the zither, he claimed it belonged to Princess Ji Qin. But later, when the truth was revealed, it turned out not to be her old possession. Was it truly just a mistake by the palace servants?”

Qi Yan asked, “What do you think?”

“I suspect Jin King knows something,” Wei Zhen said. “Qi Yan, think about it. Jin King cherishes the relics of Princess Ji Qin so much—how could he casually allow one to be handed over for my use?”

Qi Yan raised an eyebrow. “So Jin King never intended to give you my mother’s zither in the first place.”

The more Wei Zhen pondered, the more chills ran down her spine. “But Jin King still claimed that it was. Could it be that he orchestrated this entire event?”

She looked up. “Was Jin King testing me?”

If so, everything made sense.

Jin King had the palace servants present a zither and had the envoy tell her in advance that it was the princess’s old instrument, hoping she would play it well. Yet the zither string had already been cut—meaning that, during the banquet, she would inevitably have to face the challenge of a broken string.

At that moment, would she continue playing, or would she falter in panic?

Had she wavered even slightly, had she shown any distress over the situation, and failed to recognize the crucial details, the evening would not have ended so smoothly.

Wei Zhen knew that Jin King would have seized the opportunity to pin the blame of damaging a princess’s zither upon her.

This, she now truly understood—being close to a king was like walking alongside a tiger.

And this was only the beginning of her life in the Jin palace. In the days to come, she would have to meet Jin King again and again.

A gust of night wind passed, and cold sweat seeped down her back.

Jin King’s bedchamber.

The old eunuch brought over a bowl of ginseng soup. Jin King sat draped in his robe at his desk, the candlelight illuminating the bamboo scrolls of military affairs before him.

“Your Majesty, the night is deep. You should rest,” the eunuch said.

Jin King gave a low hum of acknowledgment.

The old eunuch hesitated before cautiously asking, “Did Your Majesty find the Chu maiden’s performance tonight satisfactory?”

Seeing Jin King remain silent, he continued, “The servant sees that this Chu maiden is indeed extraordinary—so calm, unflustered in the face of crisis, even able to detect the anomaly in the qin string. An ordinary woman encountering such a situation would have long since knelt in plea for forgiveness. As the envoy said, among all the princesses sent for marriage, she is the most exceptional—composed and strategic, bold and ambitious.”

The old Jin King held the spoon in his hand, slowly stirring the ginseng soup, his gaze fixed solely on the military affairs before him.

“As for Princess Ji Qin’s child, the servant wonders if Your Majesty intends to—”

Jin King tapped his fingers on the desk, causing the old eunuch to fall silent immediately.

It was unknown how much time had passed. The old eunuch, keeping watch beside him, had nearly dozed off when he suddenly heard Jin King put away the bamboo slips and coldly order, “Go and have the palace attendants inform him—since he is willing to be a guard, then from tomorrow onward, he shall serve outside my palace.”

The old eunuch was momentarily stunned before quickly responding, “Understood.”

The four-cornered bronze lamps flickered, casting shadows on the screen where plum blossoms lay scattered. The night had deepened, and the heavy darkness slowly swallowed the figure of the old Jin King.